Monthly Archives: February 2012

For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Just a simple thought before bed! For a long time we have been taught, or at least thought that blessing comes when we are good, or when we do something that pleases God. That has been modelled to us through school based rewards systems, or parents who reward good behaviour with treats or gifts.

In the Old Testament when God promised something He followed that with an “if”, meaning that to receive the blessing the people must first do something. When Jesus came to this world, and died on the cross, it was a finished work. We have been made righteous not because of our behaviour, but because of the ultimate price that Jesus paid for us. Our position in God’s eyes is nothing to do with what we do, rather what Jesus has done!

So when this letter was written to the church at Corinth, it was to let them know that God’s blessings were not related to their performance! Performance-related pay maybe a concept in the work place, but it’s not a term used with in God’s economy! God’s promises to us are fulfilled in Jesus, therefore we are in Him, and because of that then we can receive all that God has for us!

So are you striving to do as much as you can to receive God’s blessing and feeling like you aren’t quite getting it? Accept that blessing is not related to what you do, rather in the fact that you are in Jesus. His grace is sufficient for all, His death on the cross has meant you don’t need to keep trying to measure up, relax in the knowledge that God wants to bless you.

A waterbearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it. While the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the mistress’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to her master’s house.

The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your mistress’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, “As we return to the mistress’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?

“That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

“For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my mistress’s table. Without you being just the way you are, she would not have this beauty to grace her house.”

Maybe you think you are imperfect and have no purpose – God’s got different ideas on that! Remember you were created on purpose, for a purpose, with a purpose!